Mohali Kabaddi player killing: Murder at behest of gang, shooters identified, say police

Chandigarh, Dec 16 (PTI) The Mohali Police on Tuesday said three suspects, including two shooters, who allegedly killed a 30-year-old kabaddi player-cum- promoter in the middle of a tournament here a day ago, have been identified and they are associated with a gang which orchestrated the killing.

Police feel that the gang wanted to exert its dominance over Kabaddi tournaments and considered the player close to jailed gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Kanwar Digvijay Singh, alias Rana Balachauria, was shot at by the gunmen after he arrived with his team to take part in a tournament in Mohali on Monday. He was critically injured in the attack and was rushed to the Fortis Hospital in Mohali, where he was declared dead.

The incident took place at Sohana in Mohali, where a private kabaddi tournament had been going on for the past few days, SSP Harmandeep Singh Hans said, adding the assailants fled on a motorcycle after firing from a .30 bore weapon.

"Doni Bal and Lucky Patial allied gang is behind the murder, and the crime was executed by the accused at their behest," the police officer told reporters in Mohali on Tuesday.

Asked about the reason behind the killing, he said, "The Reason is dominance over Kabaddi tournaments. This gang considered Rana Balachauria close to (jailed gangster) Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, and this murder is believed to have taken place in that connection." The shooters have been identified as Aditya Kapoor alias Makhan and Karan Pathak alias Defaulterkaran, both residents of Amritsar, the SSP said, while adding that it was a planned attack and only Balachauria was the target.

"Kapoor and Pathak are associates of (gangster) Doni Bal, and that gang has claimed responsibility. Kapoor already has 13 FIRs against him, while Pathak has two FIRs against him," SSP Hans said.

Replying to a question, he denied any link between Rana Balachauria's murder and the killing of singer Sidhu Moosewala a few years ago. "Rana Balachauria had no role in that (Moosewala's murder). Rana does not have any previous criminal history," he said in reaction to some reports indicating a possible connection.

Hans said that the accused involved in the kabaddi player's murder will soon be arrested. Two to three more accused who facilitated the shooters will also be nabbed, he said.

An FIR has been registered and 12 police teams, with two each in Amritsar and Delhi, are searching for the accused, he said, adding that CCTV footage are also being scanned.

The police officer said the organisers had permission to hold the tournament.

The killing brought back memories of three years ago, when another kabaddi player, Sandeep Nangal, was shot dead in Jalandhar district in the middle of a tournament at Mallian Kalan village. More recently, a 25-year-old kabaddi player, Teja Singh, was shot dead in broad daylight in Jagraon in October this year.

Hans, in response to a question, said all previous incidents have been traced, and police will soon arrest the killers in the Mohali incident too.

On Monday, shortly after the incident in Mohali, some witnesses told police that the attackers pretended to be fans and approached Rana to click selfies but opened fire soon after. When Rana reached the ground, he was stopped by the attackers, who requested a selfie and took him aside close to the parking lot.

The opposition Congress, SAD and BJP have slammed the Bhagwant Mann government over the Mohali incident, alleging total collapse of law and order in the state under the AAP rule. PTI SUN NSD NSD